


The Parent Trap

by Neutralfan



Series: Connected Bran Stark/Meera Reed Stories [7]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Confessions, Dad to the rescue, Dads as wingmen, F/M, Family, Fix It, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Heart to Hearts, Love, Multi POV, Ned Stark and Howland Reed, Stress Balls, allusions to abusive relationship past, allusions to eating disorder, as best friends, dads, most people here are just here in name only, osha is a good friend, osha ships it, shouting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-13 07:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19246600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neutralfan/pseuds/Neutralfan
Summary: Ned Stark and Howland Reed team up and the result is... a fix it?





	1. When two Dad's meet

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the fix it fic I promised, just in time for Father's day. 
> 
> (Blame Ned and Howland for the last fic they wanted to do this fic but I needed a reason to then suddenly Robb was tackling Bran...) 
> 
> Spoiler* There's a reference to an eating disorder in one of the chapters, as well as references to a past abusive relationship. Nothing too blatant in this first chapter just be warned before going any further that it's there.

Ned sat at a table next to the front window of a small coffee shop though it was noisy in the shop with all the motors and people talking and rushing around, it was better than his house right now. Rickon was studying, Robb and Jayne were over for a last minute wedding planning session which meant that Theon and Jon were there too. Ned was still giving his three eldest the cold shoulder after what they’d done to Bran. 

Bran and Meera were still ‘Taking a Break’ and it was going on four weeks now, a month, Ned was starting to get worried. He liked Meera, she was fun and seemed to bring out a side of his son that tended to get buried under his intelligence and Mary Sue tendencies. He’d surprised them all by punching Robb at Christmas in defense of her, and now he was showing how good he was at giving the silent treatment. The only communication he’s had with his three oldest brothers was when he’d sent their phones back to them via courier all charges to be collected by the recipient. 

With the wedding only a month away, Ned was worried that something explosive was going to happen between the boys and somehow he was going to have to deal with it. He could understand why his Commanding officer was always a grouch.Ned had always assumed that when children got old enough to vote and move out that they’d be easier to manage. Somewhere out there someone was laughing at his expense. 

He picked up his phone looking at the time, Howland was running behind it seemed. They had known each other since they had been assigned to the same basic training group back when they were both in the army. Ned had left after his father and elder brother had died in a car accident, one that nearly killed Jon. His mother had also been in the car, they’d been taking her to the hospital at the time. She passed a few days later. 

But after that Ned had been given the option to take an early discharge, he did, and life took different turns for both him and Howland causing their communication to be regulated to Christmas cards or the occasional letter or phone call over the years. Up until around last Christmas when Howland had called out of the blue and informed him that two of their children were dating each other. After that, they ended up calling each other every week just to chat about their respective love birds. Up until the whole fiasco of a bachelor party, he’d only gotten one call and at that point, Howland was trying to get information about what was going on. Much to Ned’s disappointment, his friend seemed to have cut ties only for him to send a text asking if they could get coffee together. 

“You’re a brave man to sit in the window where everyone can see you.” Ned looked up to see Howland standing next to the table a mug in his hand. 

“I was sitting in the back just in case someone I knew came round and decided to tell Jyanna,” he slipped into the seat across from Ned, “she has ‘forbidden’ me from interfering with the course of events concerning our children.”

“And you didn’t want her to assume you were doing what she asked you not to?” 

Howland snorted, “She wouldn’t assume, she would be correct in her accusations.” 

Ned raised an eyebrow, “Oh, is that why we’re here then to interfere in our children’s lives?” 

“I prefer the term ‘helpful mischief’ myself,” he gave a wry grin, “I’m sure your son is doing about as well as my daughter is?”

“Is she looking more depressed by the day?” 

Bran was calling Ned a few times a week now something he hadn’t done unless he was working out a problem back at Uni that needed his signature. His son was having trouble figuring out how to approach the situation. On the one hand, he wanted to give Meera her space, but on the other, he wanted to do something to try and heal the rift that his brothers had caused. He was looking worse by the day, and Ned was starting to wonder if his job was suffering because of it. 

“I wouldn’t know, I haven’t gotten to see her or really talk to her, Jyanna is running interference for some reason. I only knew there was a problem because of that, then I called up Jojen to ask what was going on only to have my wife get on my case after as he’d told her I was trying to meddle. The little snitch.” 

“You should pay him, that’s what I do,” Ned said taking a sip of his drink thinking as he did. 

“He’d still tell his mother, he’s a mama’s boy.” Howland sighed. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes letting the sounds of the place fill the silence as they drank their respective coffee’s thinking about their kids. Even though they were adults Ned had no doubt that they would continue to see the small children who had once depended on them for every cut and scrape, every hurt feeling, secretly wishing they could just make it all better like they could back then. To be able to protect them from the world and its darkness. To be Dad the superhero instead of Dad the dude who falls asleep during the football match on the couch. 

“How do you feel about Bran, in regards to your daughter?” 

Howland looked thoughtful as he considered the question fingers tapping the side of his mug soundlessly. 

“I don’t have a problem with him. I mean it he’s a good fit for Meera better than I was expecting really. I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop for the skeleton to fall out of the closet and yet there doesn’t seem to be one. But I have to keep up appearances, you know?” He smiled the lines that showed his years of laughter, happiness, and trials creating a collage across his face. But it slowly melted as he continued. 

“She was hurt so bad by the last one though, I-I feel that if I let that happen again it’s on me, I felt so powerless to help her I still feel that way. Yet, I feel like if I don’t do something about this situation between her and Bran that she’s the one who will have hurt herself. Then it really will be on me cause I was so busy trying to keep out someone who could hurt her when I didn’t check to see if maybe she was capable of hurting herself.” 

“Honestly the blame falls on my eldest sons, Theon more than anyone else, Bran has yet to speak to any of them, except Rickon. He and Bran had a shouting match that Cat and I pretended we couldn’t hear from the basement. But I do have to ask is there something else going on that neither of us knows about?” 

“Could be, like I said I haven’t been able to talk with her as Jyanna is running interference, and my snitch is now working both sides of the fence.” 

They lapsed into silence again, Ned was debating over telling Howland information that Bran had trusted him with. Something that really could help them out if they played their cards right. 

“He loves her.” 

Howland’s head shot up, eyes boring into him, searing for a hint of any untruth about him. 

“When did you learn this?”  


“Christmas. It just slipped out of his mouth when we were talking he looked like he hadn’t meant to say that. He said that he wanted to hunt down the person who’d hurt Meera yet he knew that wouldn’t help. But he hated not being able to help someone he loved.” 

“I don’t think she’s there yet,” Howland said seriously, worrying his lip with his teeth before letting out a forlorn sigh, “I just want to stick them in a room and force them to talk it out.”

An idea. A small tendril of an idea started snaking its way through Ned’s brain, one that he was sure didn’t come from his own thoughts. 

"Why don’t we do that then?”


	2. Setting up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our team of Dad's get some assists in their endeavor to fix it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for references to eating disorders and past relationship abuse.

Howland was in the kitchen of his home helping his wife make dinner, and by helping he was really just getting in the way while trying to sneak bites of food that were already cooked and getting his hand slapped for it. Much to his daughter's amusement, she was video chatting with her Mum like she did most Tuesdays as they made dinner together. Jyanna teaching Meera the recipe of the week. But he could see the toll that the ‘break’ was taking on his daughter, she had bags under her eyes that stood out underneath her makeup and her face had lost its happy shine, something he hadn’t seen happen since the end of the trials that put the last shiitake Mushroom behind bars. After that her shine had slowly come back but that had been her starting point. 

Now though Howland was waiting for divine intervention to step in and take Jyanna away for a few minutes so that he could talk with his daughter and not have his wife try and censor him. Like she had been for the last four weeks. 

Just then he heard his fifty quid ring the doorbell, he made a face and turned to Jyanna before she could speak. 

“I got it last time.” 

She gave him a look that clearly said ‘are you twelve?’ before telling Meera that she’d be right back. In her absence, Howland sidled up to the screen a gentle smile on his face. Meera hadn’t noticed him as she was concentrating on the shallots she was cutting for what he assumed to be a salad, he had no idea how she had taken a liking to them but she tended to put them in a salad when she had them. 

“Hey there butterfly, how’re your wings so pretty?” She looked up at the mention of her childhood nickname and smiled. 

“I don’t know Daddy.” 

He chuckled at that, it had been years since he’d called her butterfly but she still remembered how she answered that question in particular. 

“How have you been, we haven’t talked in a while?” He watched closely as she fiddled with her knife restlessly, a dangerous habit that he knew she didn’t get from him. 

“I’ve been ok, thinking about calling a girls night with Osha.” 

He nodded, normal behavior from her on that front, he’d be more concerned if she wasn’t visiting with her friends. 

“Should I come down and punch him?” He wouldn’t but it never hurt to ask. 

“No.” Her voice was flat, that wasn’t good. 

“Ok then. Hey,” he snapped his fingers, “I’ve just had an idea, why don’t you come up here to visit? It’s been a while since we’ve taken a weekend and gone shopping I’ll even spring for treats and other things,” he winked at her which got him a giggle, “and maybe we can go out for a nice dinner, just the two of us.” 

“Daddy-” 

“You’re Mum has to go pull a weekend shift anyway and I would be here all by my lonesome, please?” He pleaded, pulling a puppy dog pout. 

“Alright I can be there by lunch on Saturday,” Meera said chuckling. 

“Yes.” He fist bumped the air just as his wife walked in giving him the ‘eye’ as she came around the kitchen island. 

“What’s this?” 

“I’m coming up on Saturday.” 

“And we’re going shopping!” Howland said smugly grinning at Jyanna who only squinted at him suspiciously. 

“I’ll let you ladies get back to your chat and start planning which stores we’re going to visit.” 

He then made a hasty exit to go get his computer, he had to e-mail Ned and let him know that the first half of the plan was a go. He just had to get his son for the weekend and they’d be full speed ahead for phase two. Howland grinned, he hadn’t had this much fun since he’d successfully snagged an American generals briefs from his base guest room. 

. . . . . 

Bran was glaring at the wedding invitation on the table in front of him. If he could skip it he would. It was going on a month with very little contact from either of the Reeds, Jojen had firmly stated that he wasn’t going to play the mediator or try and fix them. They were on their own, which left Bran treading water and not knowing what to do. He wanted to bend over backwards to try and make things better to try and get Meera to talk to him to maybe listen to him about what happened. But he was afraid to ruin the tentative relationship he still had with Meera. He was going nuts and something had to give or he was going to end up in a mental ward he was just sure of it. 

He turned his attention back to his computer screen where Rickon was furiously scribbling down something that Bran had suggested for his revision. The younger had contacted him and demanded that they have it out after a week of silence, and after he’d had to pay a courier to get his phone back. They were close, like Robb and Jon close which was probably why Bran was quick to forgive him, unlike his other brothers who were at this point blocked on his phone and all social media. 

“You should come up this weekend,” Rickon said as he looked up from his work. 

“Really.” 

“Yeah, Mum’s going to be out of the house, it’ll be just Dad and me lodes of quiet and time for revision, I really need to get good grades on these tests so I can be un-grounded.” 

“Or you could just tell me the real reason why you want me up there?” Bran said, arching his eyebrow, he knew his brother too well for the gambit he was trying to work. 

“What?” 

“Out with it Rick.” 

“Fine, I’m worried about you is all,” he paused for a minute, “and there’s this girl I really want to impress with my grades so I really need to get good ones, please!”

Bran snorted, no girl that he’d ever met had been interested in his grades, teachers did not count, but, “fine, I’ll come but I’m going to check with Dad about it Ok?” 

“Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re the best brother ever!” Rickon espoused. 

Bran shook his head and said good-bye to his brother before pulling out his phone to call his Dad. But before he could he felt his stomach growl in protest, reminding him that he hadn’t had dinner yet, he called for a take away first. 

. . . . . 

“Dad, Bran’s coming this weekend if you tell him it’s fine,” Rickon told Ned after entering his Dad’s office shutting the door behind him. 

“Thank you,” Ned said, opening a drawer and holding out a tenner for his son. Which he took quickly. 

“Need anything else?” 

“Yeah, get your three other brothers here, tell them they’re disowned if they don’t show up on Saturday.” 

“What about Theon?” 

Ned looked up over his glasses, “It applies and he knows it.” 

“OK.” 

“Rickon, not a word to your Mum, she’s got enough going on right now with that event she’s catering this weekend.” The cheeky scamp nodded giving a mock salute before slipping out of the room. Ned was glad that he had Rickon life would be so much harder without his snitch. Though he still needed to know how he knew some of the things he did. But that was a problem for another day, he went back to his work that needed to be finished before Saturday so that he could stage a fight and fix a relationship. A Father’s work was never done, but at least it was done before a Mother’s work was.

. . . . . 

“What do ya mean you haven’t talked in a month?” Osha said bug-eyed at her friend who was currently laid out across her couch eating some botched sweet rolls with her. It had been a long day at the bakery, a bridezilla and company had tried to harass her bakery for five hours straight after she’d explicitly told them that there was no way that they could have a cake done for them without at least two months advance notice, they’d wanted it done for the next day. 

The stress had gotten so bad that she’d nearly fallen back to an old stand by of stress relief before she’d resorted to purging herself of her lunch, she texted Meera and scheduled an impromptu girls night and asked for some stress back up. Which had lead to a barrage of cute pictures, stupid motivational quotes and asking Osha where she’d put the stress ball Meera had given her last ‘friends day’. It was pink with daisy’s all over it but it did the job whether she used it by squeezing it or by using it as a projectile, Osha wasn’t picky. Then right at closing Meera had shown up with yet another stress ball this one was purple with bee’s on it, the cheeky scamp. 

But now the younger woman that she considered to be like a sister to her was telling her that she and Bran weren’t speaking. This she couldn’t stand for, they were so cute together, like squishable cute. Not to mention that Bran had been so careful with Meera, courteous to a fault, and willing to support her when she needs it. He was also able to keep up with her whether it was when she was ranting about work or pulling a prank. Osha had been living vicariously through her friend and mentally planning a hen party for her. 

“He’s checked in to see how I’m doing but only once, I asked him not to make it a thing. I’ve just been really upset.” 

That answer was weird, even for Meera. 

“Did he do something?” That got a snort as a response and if the younger woman’s flashing green eyes were anything to go by Osha would be driving up to her grandfather’s to borrow one of his pitchforks. 

“Let’s see, you remember I told you he surprised me with tickets to see the sold-out show for my favorite band? Well on my way to meet him Jojen called me-” She related the entire story to Osha who sat there getting angrier with every detail until she mentioned how they’d found Bran, locked in his own bathroom with a costume bears head on his head. That didn’t jive with what she knew about the young man. 

“Hold up, you say that he was locked in his own bathroom? You’ve been there before does his bathroom door lock from the outside?” 

Meera stared at her not answering. 

“Look if you’re going to side with him then I’ll just go.” Meera started to get up. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Osha thundered stopping the smaller woman to pause her movements, “You don’t get to go traipsing out in a huff like that. I’m just trying to iron out some of my own questions, I’m very willing to go get the tar and feathers for the man but I have to be sure he’s done wrong here.” 

“Why wouldn’t he be?” 

“Why- explain that question to me.” 

“Well if he didn’t want to participate like he said then why didn’t he just leave?” 

“Meera, you’re skating on thin ice there.” Osha pointed out hearing how similar that question was to some of the ones that she was asked when she’d first tried fixing her eating disorder, ‘why don’t you just stop?’. She knew that Meera had received similar questions concerning her own situation. 

“He’s a grown man, he can make his own choices and didn’t need to stay there!” Meera argued. 

“He was locked in his own blasted bathroom, and his living room was destroyed, think, if Arya hadn’t gotten the information that there was a bachelor party going on and you three had just walked into that unknowingly would you have reacted the same way?” 

Meera didn’t answer, but she did look thoughtful, and like she didn’t want to consider what Osha was saying. But she knew that she’d stumbled onto a valid point. 

“No.” She said begrudgingly. 

“Ya said that Jojen told you he’d made up with Bran, have you asked him why?” 

“No.” This came out as a small whisper before she sat back burying her face in her hands. “I’ve been an idiot haven’t I?” 

“No more than usual.” 

“Gee thanks,” she lowered her hands showing Osha the tears that were starting to fall, “now what though? I didn’t want to deal with the possibility that he could have lied to me and I didn’t want to let him go either. It was like I was back with Taylor again except when I asked for space Bran gave it to me rather than tell me I was being irrational.” 

“Talk to him.” 

“After four weeks?” 

“Yea, I’m sure he’s just waiting for ya to call him and talk to ‘im might be the longest he’s waited but the guy strikes me as the patient type. The kind anyone would love to bring home to introduce their parents to.”

“Ok.” She said letting out a shaky breath. 

“Do it now.” 

“What I can’t do that, it’s late and he’s got to work tomorrow I’ll call him before I leave for my weekend at my parents.” 

Osha’s lips thinned at that but she wasn’t going to push, yet. She knew that the sooner something was done the better but Meera was right it was late. She’d let it be for now they settled back in and turned on a movie Osha falling asleep before the middle of it and waking to find a blanket covering her along with her kitchen cleaned and a few easy meals prepped in her fridge that were not in her food storage containers. A note stuck to her fridge with a smiley face told her just who had done this before they’d snuck out last night. 

“Blasted Elves.” She muttered fondly before getting ready to go back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought of this chapter! Comments are given hugs and hot chocolate. (Or ice cream)


	3. Loud and Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's for the boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title could be 'when you push an introvert over the edge'

Bran climbed out of his car and waved at Arya as she drove out of the courtyard of Winterfell. He had decided to drive to Bath rather than take the train this time. It felt good to stretch his legs as he walked around to retrieve his bag from the trunk. There were a couple of cars already in the parking spots but he wasn’t worried, his parents had people over all the time for work and what not. His Mum had probably called a last-minute meeting just before the event tomorrow. He walked in and was greeted with a sight that left him cold when he normally would have found warm and inviting. 

Robb, Jon, and Theon all sitting in the foyer area of the house seemingly waiting for him. He almost walked out. But his Dad came down the stairs right then. 

“Good you’re here, now remember no hitting, tackling or touching of any kind until after this is resolved,” Ned said mostly to tell Bran the rules of engagement. 

“Bran we are really, really sorry,” Jon said, he looked like a dog that had been caught digging in the trash. 

“Fine.” 

“Just like that, you forgive us?” Robb said surprised.

“Of course he does, don’t you Branny? These guys were all worried-” 

“Theon shut your mouth or I will shut it for you,” Bran said, calmly. A smile on his face and eyes that promised pain. Theon shut up. 

“It’s fine that you’re all sorry, but that doesn’t change the last four weeks of %&#* that I’ve been living, because of your shenanigans Meera thinks that I’ve lied to her. That she can’t trust me. Do any of you know what it’s like to have someone you love say that they can’t trust you and want to call it quits?” He took a deep breath. 

“Not to mention that you barged into my home and didn’t even give me the respect that I deserved as an adult, you treated me like a child who didn’t know what they wanted. I wasn’t even consulted about it. But Rickon the child in the situation was given a heads up, he even mentioned that the fancy dress was his idea. But did any of you think to call me? Text me? NO, you didn’t.” 

“Bran-” Robb started.

“I’m not done,” Bran shouted,” you’ve all treated me like this all my life, I get a life skill that you’ve already gotten you coo over it and say ‘how cute’, or ‘look at little Branny’ it makes me sick. I get a girlfriend, one that I’m falling in love with more and more each day and it starts up again. Until something is done to drive her into a panic attack, then you all play nice up until a few weeks ago when I get ‘oh are you still seeing that girl from Christmas?’ her name is MEERA REED, Theon. You could at least learn the names of the people you're messing with. 

“I’m sick of it. I’m trying to be an adult but I don’t want anything to do with any of you. I don’t even want to be or go to your stupid wedding, Robert.” 

It pleased him to see Robb wince at that. He huffed trying to fill his lungs with air after shouting at them until Robb had tried to interrupt him he’d been able to keep his voice level and calculated, but there was a limit to how much he could take. He didn’t feel any better though. He looked towards the stairs where his father was standing, a mild look on his face. 

“May I go to my room now?” 

Ned nodded and Bran went to the stairs, not looking at Jon as he passed him and went up to his room a headache was blooming in his brain and he just wanted the day to be over. 

. . . . 

Ned just stood there as he listened to his son, he hadn’t understood just how deep Bran’s hurt ran. He hadn’t had this type of issue growing up as he had only one older brother, who had passed shortly after he’d become an adult. But hearing how his son had been struggling and he hadn’t even known how deep it ran, hurt. He was supposed to be on top of these things, wasn’t he? 

Ned knew that this would be the moment where his wife would offer words of wisdom to the four but when Bran looked to him and asked to remove himself from the equation he allowed it. The broken look on his face was enough to pull at his heartstrings in the same manner that he hadn’t felt towards any of his grown sons since they’d become teenagers. A want to protect and defend to the depths of the unknown and back. 

Oh, he’d wanted to protect his sons, but he worked hard to teach them to be self-reliant, to be able to protect themselves and any future children of their own. He didn’t want to coddle them or embarrass them to a point where they didn’t have the confidence to do that. He was more likely to assist them when they needed help, not want to take on the world, that was Cat. He was more likely to feel that for his daughters, both just as independent as their brothers, but as girls tended to feel deeper and wider in Ned’s experience he carried more of the ‘protect and defend’ drive towards them. 

“We’ve been a*holes.” 

Ned looked down to Jon, he tended to be the quieter of the trio, even when it had only been him and Robb before Theon had come into the picture one day after school when Robb had brought the rail-thin boy in a grubby school uniform into their kitchen asking if they could send the leftovers from last nights dinner home as Mr. Greyjoy had spent all the food money on ‘adult drinks’ again. 

Ned always trusted Jon, he was by all rights his nephew, but he’d raised him with very little drama, the exception had been his emo phase that Ned wasn’t sure he’d completely grown out of. Jon was the one of their little group who was the most accepting the one who was the most like Bran, the one who Ned was sure if the younger males had an issue they’d go to. Jon listened, held court in his own mind before making a judgment or decision, his biggest flaw was that he didn’t always consult the people around him when he made a decision. Something that Ygirett was still working with him on as they co-habituated and getting ready to raise a child together in a few short months. 

Jon was the mediator of the group, Robb the leader, and Theon the enabler. They were the three musketeers there was no room for a fourth or a fifth. Just three. Was it no wonder that they had trouble treating an outsider with the respect that they afforded each other? Ned had a sneaking suspicion that Rickon was only ‘consulted’ as he still lived at home and they needed to get him on board in order to sell Cat and Ned on the idea so that the youngest Stark could attend the party. Which when Ned thought back, is what happened. 

“Oh come on,” Theon said, rolling his eyes, “he’s just being overly sensitive. Besides he’s been like a mini adult ever since I’ve known him. How were we supposed to know we weren’t treating him like one?” 

“Theon, he specifically stated that we consulted with Rickon before we even thought about talking with him,” Robb said. 

“That’s because we needed to get the shrimp out of the house and make it look as if I had a plan, and if we’d asked he would have said no.” Theon grumped as he confirmed Ned’s suspicion. 

“Or,” Ned interjected, getting the attention of the three, “he could have offered alternate suggestions, he and Meera managed to set Arya up on a blind date after she’s been dating the same person since her early teens.” They looked at him with shock he wasn’t sure if it was because Bran had gotten Arya on a blind date or that Ned knew just how long his daughter had been dating her ex. 

“Not to mention we could have avoided this whole thing and Meera wouldn’t have broken up with Bran.” 

This was met with horrified faces from all three, with Theon’s tuning into a guilt-ridden one in seconds. 

“They broke up?” Jon said quietly. 

“They might have said ‘taking a break’,” Ned used air quotes for his point, “but it’s basically the same thing to me.” 

“Dad, that, that just means they’re not actively seeing each other.” Robb objected. 

“So when I was over deployed on my first tour of duty, your Mother and I were ‘taking a break?” 

“No,” Theon said quietly, “but typically there’s a date set for how long they’re taking a break so if there isn’t one then-” He trailed off looking even more defeated. 

“Right all three of you need to figure out how to get back into Bran’s good graces.” Ned held up a hand to stop the protests. 

“I didn’t make this mess, but if you’re a week out from Robb’s wedding and you still haven’t made up then I might be willing to help until then you’re on your own.” 

Ned left for his office then, he didn’t need to ask Bran about his feelings towards Meera. He still loved her, and if the young lady was still amiable he was going to do his best to get them back together. 

. . . . 

It was around an hour before Bran emerged from his room looking for Rickon, they needed to get to work for his revision. If he remembered being seventeen correctly he’d most likely turn up in the kitchen sooner or later, taking the back stairs he made his way that direction. Only to find his Dad instead.

“It’s all set then. Let’s not put the cart before the horse-” he was saying before he spotted Bran, “I’ll see you tonight.” 

He quickly hung up the phone before turning his attention to Bran, “You ok?” 

Bran was miffed but he shrugged preferring not to answer as it was the same as it had been for the last four weeks. Not great. Even giving his brothers the tongue lashing that he’d wanted to since this whole thing started hadn’t helped. He just wanted to talk to Meera and clear the air between them, even if it meant they had to go back to being just friends. 

“I’ll take that as an ‘I still feel like I'm living in a hellscape’ Dad, thanks for asking though.” Ned offered a look of encouragement. 

“I don’t know why I yelled at them, it’s not like they can make it up to me.” 

Silence. Bran wasn’t sure why he’d said that but that didn’t make it any less true. Unless they somehow magically got Meera and him back together could erase the pain they’d caused it was likely that he was going to not feel like trusting him for a long time yet. 

“Hey,” Ned said, “could you do me a huge favor?” 

Bran furrowed his brow, “Um sure, what is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was painful, thank you for reading! 
> 
> Hmm... Whatever could Ned need from Bran? ;)


	4. Setting sail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost there!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trap is laid, but will the bate be taken? 
> 
> More of a Meera & Howland chapter as the last one focused more on Bran and his side.

“Really Dad a blindfold?” Meera said eyes moving between the cloth and her Dad’s face rapidly. 

“You trust me, don’t you?” 

“Yes, but you said we were going shopping.” 

“We are, I just want you to be surprised is all.” He smiled at her, a bit too much in her opinion. He was up to something, he also wasn’t going to give up she got her stubbornness from him. 

“Fine,” she gave in reaching for the cloth, “but I’m tying the knot, last time you tied anything for me my hair got caught in it.” 

“I have no memory of this.” 

“That’s because you didn’t have to try and help me get the blindfold off,” Meera said adjusting the cloth over her eyes so that she could see just a bit of light, she wasn’t sleeping well and didn’t want to be in total darkness. 

“Have it on?” 

“Yep.” 

“Can you see anything?” 

“Yes.” 

“Butterfly.” He sounded disappointed.

“Do you want me to have a panic attack? It’s just enough so that I can have a bit of light filtering in is all, unless I tip my whole head back and cross my eyes I can’t see anything important.” 

She couldn’t see her Dad’s reaction, but his tone told her that he hadn’t thought that all the way through, “Good, right let’s get on the road then.” 

After getting onto what sounded like a fast road Howland spoke. 

“So, how’s life been?” 

“I haven’t broken up with him.” Meera didn’t need to have the blindfold off in order to read between the lines of that question. Her Mom had warned her about how her Dad was likely going to react. 

“I didn’t ask about Bran.” 

“Not directly no.” 

“But since you brought up the topic,” Meera stifled a groan he sounded way too happy about this, “how is your break going?” 

“I just talked to Osha about this the other day.” 

“Really? That’s good, have you talked with the boy himself?” Meera heard the clicking of the car’s indicator before the shifting told her they were changing lanes. 

“Not yet,” in her haste to get away from a flirty tutoring client, forgotten to call Bran as she’d told her friend she’d do. 

“How are you going to tell him to move on with his life if you don’t talk to him?” 

“What?” 

“Butterfly, let me tell you something about men,” he said seriously, “if they’re truly interested in you then a lot of times if you ‘take a break’ they’ll still be waiting for you at the end of it. At least the worthwhile ones who are head over heels in love with you will. Trust me he seems the type. So you either need to tell him to get lost or work out the problem that caused the break, how do you think your Mum and I have stayed together thus far?” 

Meera gave a frustrated sigh, “Osha told me something to that effect too.” 

“Have I ever mentioned how much that woman scares me?” 

“Dad!” Meera laughed.

“I’m serious, she’s so much like me it’s scary.” 

“You are encourageable.” 

“Watch it, you’ll turn into your Mum talking like that.” 

“That’s a bad thing?” Meera said a small grin forming at the corners of her lips. 

“No. I just assume that most girls don’t want to turn into their Mums just as most boys don’t want to turn into their Dads. Only one day when you’re old you’ll wake up and realize that you’ve turned into us and just accept it.” 

“I still like him.” 

“Only like? Don’t get me wrong like is a powerful emotion, I mean I like hot sauce but you don’t see me eat it with everything.” 

“Dad.” 

“Meera.” 

She sighed she’d been putting off calling Bran as she was still trying to sort out her feelings. She had spent that whole night worried about Bran, she had called him several times, Jojen had called, Arya too. It wasn’t until she’d found out that there wasn’t a family emergency that her worry switched to anger. 

Taylor, her abusive ex, had done things like this with the intention of, in her therapist's words, keep her from leaving him. Now though she didn’t know if Bran was doing the same thing or if he was as he’d said a victim of a cruel prank. She really wished that she’d called him and gotten the conversation over with already. 

“Every time I’ve gone to pick up the phone to call Bran, all I can think of is Taylor how he’d do stupid stunts or tell me he was near death or something equally dramatic, and I just can’t hit the buttons to call him.” 

Howland didn’t have a quick response, the only sound she could hear was that of the traffic around them for a long stretch, or it could have been only a few minutes she couldn’t tell with the blindfold on. When he finally spoke she could hear tears in his voice. 

“He’s, he’s not like Taylor. I never liked Taylor at all but I thought ‘it’s just a phase she’ll get it out of her system and then find some nice guy to date’,” he took a deep breath to keep his voice from cracking, “I know it seems like I don’t like Bran but really I think he’s the best, really he just seems to be a perfect fit for you.

“But I can’t make that phone call for you. If I could I would, just so that you could be happy again. To put it in your vernacular I ship it.” 

Meera listened in shock, she had no idea her Dad the big gruff with all the boys former Army man felt that way, she had tears falling down her face and laughter trying to escape her for two entirely different reasons. 

“Dad, what’s shipping?” She asked hoping that her laugh would be covered by the tears. 

“It’s where you’re really rooting for two people to get together, your brother used that the other day and explained it so if I’m wrong don’t hold it against me like you did with the ‘Netflix and chill’ comment.” 

She couldn’t hold it in any longer she outright laughed at the idea that her Dad was ‘Shipping’ her and Bran together. He started laughing along with her and before she knew it he had parked the car. 

“Alright time for some retail therapy!” He pulled down her blindfold and allowed her to get her bearings for a minute. Blinking owlishly Meera could only sit and stare, her Dad had parked in the lot of one of the more ‘sophisticated’ shopping centers in the area.

“Dad?” 

“You are buying at least one dress, if not two. There will be matching shoes and accessories, I called your friend Osha and she said she’d meet us here to help, apparently she ships you and Bran too. I’m just here to carry the bags.” 

Meera could only start at him in shock while also wondering if he was up to something. 

“I thought you said Osha scared you?”

. . . . . 

Rickon grinned as he tiptoed down the back stairway of Winterfell he was on a mission, on where if he was caught he’d be out of his allowance for a week. Not that it mattered, he was starting his summer job in two weeks so he’d more than makeup for it. His objective, figure out what it will take to get Bran to forgive the oldest three Stark brothers. 

He made his way to the kitchen where Bran was having a conversation with their Dad. 

“But why are we going to- Oh Rick are you ready to start studying?” 

Drat. “Um well, I sorta have that sorted already.” 

There it was the dreaded eyebrow arch, how his brother managed to look as imposing as their Mum Rickon wasn’t sure. Perhaps that’s what a broken heart did to a person, after four weeks they became scarier. “Ok, so I’m going over to Lyanna’s to study tonight.” 

“Lyanna Mormont?” Ned asked a small smile on his face. 

“Um yes?” 

“She’s a nice girl from what I’ve heard, I’m sure that if there’s anything you’re still having trouble with you can have Bran help you tomorrow before he leaves, right?” 

Ned looked at Bran with a gaze that basically said, ‘you have no way out just agree and let’s move on’, really made Rickon wonder what he’d interrupted when he’d ‘stumbled’ into the kitchen. 

“Yeah.” Bran sighed starting to stand up. 

“Hey bro,” Rickon asked seeing that his brother was making to leave the area, “what would it take for you to forgive the three stooges?” 

Bran blinked, “More than just an ‘I’m sorry’, they did more than break my lego star wars set this time.” 

He was counting it as a win that Bran had even told him that, until he caught his Dad’s eye, Ned Stark was glaring at him as if he’d just told an offensive joke in front of the Queen. But waited until Bran had left the room before speaking. 

“Do not do your brother’s work for them or you’ll find it very hard to live in this family Rickon Keane Stark. 

He gulped, he hoped that his dad never found out that he had just kinda helped the three stooges, as he hurried out of the room, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he did so disconnecting the call.  
. . . . 

Meera laughed at her best friend as she went off in search of a certain article of makeup, the store was not one that Meera really wanted to go into, too many scents at once made her dizzy. Her Dad had slipped off somewhere to return a phone call but would be ‘right back’. She was enjoying her time out, even if it wasn’t what she’d been expecting, it was nice that her Dad was still willing to surprise her every once and a while. Especially after he told her why he was having her buy these things. 

“For one,’ he’d said, ‘I’m taking you out to dinner tonight, your Mum and I were going to meet with some old friends of ours, but she got called in for a weekend shift. I figured that I could get you to go with me if I spoiled you. I also know that it would help you feel better.” 

Honestly, she wasn’t looking forward to having dinner with people she didn’t know, but the dresses her Dad was insisting she get were stunning, so she could live with it.  
Her phone rang in her purse and as it didn’t have an assigned ringtone it was probably a potential client. Heaving a sigh she pulled out her phone and answered. 

“Meera Reed?” The male voice on the other end said as soon as she picked up. 

“Yes?” 

“Oh good, this is Jon Stark Bran’s brother, please don’t hang up.” 

Meera’s eyebrows raised to her hairline, “Why are you calling me?” 

“Ok well, I just wanted to clear somethings up, about uh, us causing Bran to stand you up.”

“Us?” 

“Yeah, Robb and Theon are here too, but I was voted the most tactful of us so I get to explain.” 

Meera sighed, “Talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, Dun, Dun! 
> 
> Oh boy. We're entering the final phase of the fix it!


	5. Confessions and Cling Wrap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trap is sprung!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn that Ned and Howland really need a hobby.

Bran was annoyed, not only had he been tricked into coming up to his parents for some type of farce of an intervention. But his real reason for coming up, helping Rickon study, also seemed to have only been apart of the aforementioned farce. He was currently in a suit and tie of all things and going to dinner with his Dad to meet an old friend of his parents. 

“I know it’s last minute but with everyone out of the house, I just figured that you wouldn’t mind something to do. Besides I can’t go alone, my friend is bringing his wife and it just wouldn’t do to show up alone.” Ned had said. 

Yeah, that’s what got him into the car, not the hard glare that came when Bran started protesting. A glare that had softened when his Dad realized that he was using it. 

“Sorry I forgot there for a minute that you’re not a little kid anymore, just let me know if you want to come or not.” 

Bran had decided to go mostly because he had nothing better to do and he didn’t want to be left alone in the house with the possibility that his brothers could stop by. That didn’t stop him from being annoyed though. They pulled up to a fancy restaurant, the kind that took ages to book and was every woman’s dream for a proposal dinner if you believed the movies that is. 

Bran and Ned climbed out of the car and entered the restaurant when they got to the waiting area Ned told him to wait for him just a moment while he checked on the reservations. Bran was doing as he was told when the front door opened again.

A small woman with curly brown hair wearing a red knee length sleeveless dress entered. Bran’s jaw nearly dropped at the sight of Meera Reed done up to the nines. On would have thought he’d never seen her so dressed up before, indeed he hadn’t really. He’d only seen a bare minimum of what a woman could do with their makeup and hairstyling skills on her before this moment. A moment that nearly shipwrecked it’s self when he saw her smile at someone just beyond the door. 

‘She’s found someone else,’ He pulled himself up determined to put on a brave face in front of whoever she was with when Howland Reed followed his daughter through the door. His eyes met with the older males as a wash of nerves replaced the brief relief he’d felt that Meera didn’t have a date. Meera turned towards him and the smile she’d just had on disappeared, her face one of shock. 

“Howland,” Bran was jolted by his Dad’s voice, and he turned to see that he’d walked over to them, “it’s good to see you again old friend.”

‘I’m telling mom about the gravy dish you hid from her after you broke it last Easter,’ Bran thought as he observed the twinkle in his Dad’s eye. He was starting to get the feeling that he’d been set up. Or rather they’d been set up he cast a glance at Meera who had placed a passive look on her face as their Father’s shook hands. 

“They’ve got our tables ready.” 

“Tables?” Bran asked quietly, a growing sense of wanting to throw up gnawing at him. 

“Yes tables, there’s an ‘uncool Dad’s table’ and a ‘cute couple in desperate need of an intervention’ table,” Howland said, looking incredibly pleased with himself. 

“Dad,” Meera hissed at him when he finished speaking. 

“Look, kids, we know you’re adults, but we were thinking that if the two of you were just put in a room together... you’d just end up escaping and make our lives miserable.” 

“So this was the second best idea we could come up with,” Ned added quickly. 

“Please just give it a chance and if at the end of the dinner you don’t ever want to see each other again then so be it,” Howland added when it looked like Meera was about to rebel, Bran knew that look well, he loved that look on her. When it was aimed at someone else. 

They were seated in a small alcove that afforded them some privacy, they couldn’t even see where their respective father’s had been seated. Looking at the menu lead to a lot of not talking, but after placing their orders, Bran decided to make the first venture. 

“You look,” what did he say? She looked better than nice, beautiful didn’t quite express his enamorment, “gorgeous.” He wanted to smack himself in the face as that was way too over the top after not speaking to someone for a month. 

“Thank you.” She said quietly before they lapsed into silence again. Bran was starting to think that this was going to be the second worst night of his life when Meera spoke again. 

“So it was Theon who texted me not you?” 

“Yeah,” how did she know that he wondered.

“I, I’m sorry I didn’t stop to listen.” She looked away quickly after saying that, drawing in on herself. 

“I’m sorry I have the strength of a chicken nugget.” Meera’s eyes flew to his face, as she made some type of sound that seemed to be a cross between a gasp and a suppressed laugh. 

“What?” 

“My brothers all specialize in sports that enable them to stay fit and I sit at a computer desk all day, I have almost zero strength.” 

“You and Jojen go rock wall climbing.” Meera pointed out still struggling not to laugh. 

“On days where I can submerge myself in a tub of warm water or ice after it, we do it for fun, not for exercise.” Meera couldn’t hold out any longer and let out a quiet laugh Bran joining in.

They would go on to enjoy their dinner and work out the wrinkles that the last four weeks had allowed to fester. Bran listening intently to her explaining about how she was getting him and her ex mixed up in how she felt. 

“Ok,” he said when she finished, “I get it. I do, I’m glad you told me. Just please tell me if you need space? I can’t try and fix something if you don’t tell me.” 

“Fix?” Meera’s eyes took on that dangerous glint. 

“Yeah, if I’m doing something that’s hurting you I want to at least make an attempt to fix it. I don’t like hurting the people I love.” 

Oh. Oh, he’d said it, and there was no taking it back for a better moment. He just hopped the look on her face didn’t indicate she thought he was trying to manipulate her by telling her he loved her. 

. . . . 

Meera sat there she had almost missed the word, missed the implication of it. But he’d just told her that he loved her. Not the traditional way, but in a way that spoke to her, of him. Of their relationship. He didn’t want to hurt her or anyone else. He loved her. 

“Say something, please,” he whispered, eyes pleading with her. But she knew she couldn’t say it back. If nothing else these last four weeks had shown her that she wasn’t there yet. Not that she wasn’t ready, but that she wasn’t at the point where she could make the kind of commitment that those words entailed. But she wanted to be. She just needed more time to get there. 

“I’m not there yet.” She felt a single tear start to leak out of her eye. 

Bran’s entire frame seemed to slump in his suit as his face took on a thoughtful look, “you need more time?” He sounded so hopeful, she could work with that.

“Yeah, I want to be there, I want those words to mean something when I say them. I don’t want to say them back and have them be hollow.” 

He smiled, “I can live with that,” his eyes took on a mischievous glint, “just let me know when?” 

“You bet.” She was wondering about the look he was now sporting as she dabbed at her eye to keep from ruining her makeup. 

“My brothers are trying to get back into my good graces, I haven’t spoken to three of them since that night.” 

“Oh?” Meera said as she speared a fancy looking mushroom off her plate. 

“I was wondering if you had any ideas on how they could make it up to us?” 

She looked at him considering him as she ate the mushroom, a grin not fit for the establishment they were currently seated in bloomed on her face in time with the idea that was taking root. 

“What?” Bran asked eyes lighting up biting his lip in excitement. 

“I think we should ask our Dad’s for help.” She said sweetly

. . . . . . 

Bran grinned as he and Meera watched their Dad’s work on Robb’s car. They had called Jayne and found out that he was asleep but she would gladly give them the keys for their payback. Bran really liked his sister in law to be.   
Ned and Howland were in the process of wrapping Robb’s car to a street light pole with cling wrap, several layers of it that would be miserable to get off in the morning. They had insisted on doing it themselves, “just watch the masters work kids, one day we might let you take on such a task yourselves.” 

THey’d needed the keys in order to move the car and leave a note inside, one that Bran had written out pertaining to the damages to his apartment and that he would be accepting payment in full. He still couldn’t believe that they had called Meera and explained what had happened, he still felt very justified in this course of action.

“Look at them, they’re like kids on Christmas,” Bran said, chuckling. 

“I didn’t know your Dad was so-” Meera searched for the right word but couldn’t come up with one. 

“Devious?” 

“Sure that fits.” 

They laughed, and Bran thought of the looks his brother’s faces were going to sport when they walked out to their cars in the morning. Jayne and Ygritte having promised to record their reactions. Theon’s would be missing as he didn’t have a girlfriend at the moment. Bran fully intended to keep copies of the videos to add to the family ‘blackmail’ file that he was slowly compiling, Rickon wasn’t just a snitch for his Dad after all.

Meera leaned her head on his shoulder her hand nestled in his, she had decided that they’d spent enough time apart this last month and was in the back seat with him. They had all switched to one car leaving the Reed’s car in the car park of the grocery store where they’d bought the plastic wrap. Bran laughed once more when one of their Dad’s ‘forgot’ where the wrap was and smacked into it. Shaking his head gently before looking at Meera. She looked back at him eyes shining with mirth as if she’d heard his thoughts and wholeheartedly agreed and leaned up to kiss him. 

“Hey, no snogging!” 

“Ew.” 

Bran wondered if they had somehow released their Dad’s inner teenager selves as they climbed into the car, and suppressed a shutter. He really hoped that they hadn’t as the world was not ready for such intensity to be unleashed. Meera only laughed and replaced her head on Bran’s shoulder. They were going to be ok. It might take a little bit but they were going to make it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peaks out from behind desk, "Everybody ok? No one's dead or mortally wounded?" 
> 
> Let me know what you think? Did you enjoy the ending? Do you think I left something out? Do you like chicken nuggets? 
> 
> I may have unleashed two monsters, fluff monsters in the form of Ned and Howland. 
> 
> Just a note, in my head Theon works the graveyard shift at a radio station part time, and they got his car at his work.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for Reading! Please read and review, I love comments. I love predictive guesses. I'm shooting for getting this all up as quickly as I can edit it, sit tight a happy ending is on the way!


End file.
